FrançaisEnglishUnfortunately, unless you keep your car sealed in a temperature-controlled, bone-dry, oxygen-deprived bubble, rust is inevitable. However, by treating rust when you see it and rustproofing your car at least once every two years (or annually), you can manage how quickly rust builds up and prevent serious damage.
In this guide, we’ll go over how to protect your car from rusting to help it look its best, and, more importantly, to keep it as safe as possible.
If left to build up, rust can weaken the metal of your car, causing it to become brittle. This puts the material at risk of cracking and breaking. Rust can spread quickly, especially during the winter. If left untreated, this can lead to expensive repairs or replacements.
In short, rusting can threaten your car’s structural integrity and, by extension, its safety.
There are two types of rust: the kind you can see and the kind you can’t. Typically, rust that appears on a window frame or under a moulding will require professional attention. However, a small stone chip or scratch exposing bare metal can be easily fixed to avoid rust setting in.
If your car has collected some surface or scale rust, you can remove it with some lubricant, sandpaper, a wire brush, and a bit of elbow grease.
Raise your vehicle on a jack and jack stands to assess those hard-to-reach areas, such as the undercarriage. Make sure to use a jack suited to your vehicle. If you don’t have one, leave the lifting to a professional.
For mild surface rust, sandpaper may be all you need. For more stubborn rust, spray WD-40 on the affected spots and let it sit for ten minutes. Then, use the sandpaper and/or a wire brush to remove the rust. If you need to do some repainting after your rust removal, apply some rust converter to prep the metal.
After lowering the vehicle back to the ground, pop open the hood. Many brackets and mounts may need gentle scrubbing and a light spray of rust protector.
For deep rust that can’t be removed, damaged parts may need to be replaced.
By rustproofing your vehicle, you can slow the buildup of rust. After clearing away existing rust, you can create a barrier on your vehicle to ward off future damage with rust protector spray.
Before you rustproof, give your car a thorough wash. For full details on how to rustproof your vehicle, check out this article.
Washing your car every two weeks, waxing it every six months, and repairing stone chips as soon as you notice them will also help slow the progression of rust.
The last step to getting your vehicle ready to tackle rust season is lubricating every external hinge and lock. Using a product like Liquid Wrench Super Lubricant will make the job quick and easy.
Gently work the lubricant into all your vehicle’s visible mechanisms. Latches should also be sprayed, including on the gas filler door. If you drive an electric vehicle, don’t forget to lubricate the charging port door.
Even with all these protective measures, rust can still form on your vehicle, especially during the winter. To keep on top of rust buildup, inspect your car at least twice per year.
For any questions about protecting your car from rust, visit a NAPA Auto Parts store to speak with an expert.
Author: Jacob 
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